


waking up the wolf inside

by trilliastra



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Human, Fluff and Angst, Journalist Stiles Stilinski, Kind of hermit Derek, M/M, because his new beard made me do it
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-09
Updated: 2017-10-13
Packaged: 2019-01-15 08:23:49
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 5,416
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12317340
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/trilliastra/pseuds/trilliastra
Summary: The guy is an angel, but instead of protecting people he protects wolves. According to Scott’s boss – who’s like, the one person who has seen Derek in person and can attest he’s real – Derek has a vet degree, doesn’t like people and built his own cabin in the woods. To live amongst the wolves.Stiles really needs to interview this guy.





	1. Chapter 1

Derek Hale is two hours late. At each passing minute, Stiles feels angrier and the only reason he hasn’t left is because Derek  _needs_  to come home at some point and when he does, Stiles is going to yell at him so hard he’s going to give him this interview just to send Stiles away.

Stiles can be pretty annoying when he wants to, that’s how he gets most of his job done.

Derek Hale though, he’s been fucking infuriating. For starters he lives in the middle of nowhere, Stiles got lost  _twice_  before he found someone who actually  _knew_  where Derek’s freaking cabin is. And there’s also the fact that he’s a nobody - Stiles’ only picture of him is from his High School graduation, like,  _fifteen_ years ago.

And that’s the most fascinating thing – not many people know about him but the ones who do can’t stop praising his work. The guy is an angel, but instead of protecting people he protects wolves. According to Scott’s boss – who’s like, the one person who has seen Derek in person and can attest he’s real – Derek has a vet degree, doesn’t like people and built his own cabin in the woods. To live amongst the wolves.

Stiles  _needs_  to interview this guy. At first because he got curious about a thirty-one year old guy living alone and now it’s about pride. He doesn’t just spend two hours outside someone’s house, especially when it’s snowing.

“Come on.” He groans. It’s freaking  _Alaska._ Angel or not – Derek Hale is also a huge dick.

Stiles is beginning to think about breaking into the guy’s house (he can’t feel his  _toes_ ) when he hears a car and a minute later a battered truck is parking next to Stiles’ rental car.

The man who steps out looks nothing like the High School picture Stiles found. For starters he look like a mountain man with a beard that does nothing but make him look hotter, the jeans doesn’t leave much to imagination either when it comes to his ass and the huge winter coat only accentuates his broad shoulders.

Stiles swallows. “Hey!” He yells, watching as Derek opens the back door. “Derek Hale?” He can’t hide his groan when Derek barely spares him a glance. “Hey, it’s freaking freezing here, you know?”

Derek lets out a groan of his own as he lifts something in his arms and steps away from the car. “I know.” He walks towards the house and as he gets closer, Stiles notices Derek is carrying a  _wolf_. “Now, help me out here, yeah?”

Stiles doesn’t even think twice before dropping his bag and stepping closer. “What can I do?”

“Grab the key,” Derek instructs, “it’s in my back pocket.”

Later, Stiles will want to hide his face in embarrassment but now he can only think about the poor wolf whining in Derek’s arms as he touches Derek’s ass to find the key to open Derek’s house.

Once inside, Derek deposits the wolf on the floor, wrapping him further with blankets and asks Stiles to light up the fire as he goes around the house collecting things. “Is he going to be okay?” Stiles asks as Derek kneels in front of the wolf and runs a soothing hand over his head.

“Hopefully.” Derek answers. “And it’s a girl.” He tells Stiles. “She’s in labor.”

“ _What_.” Stiles squeaks. “Really? But –”

“In the kitchen,” Derek interrupts him, “get some hot water, and close the fucking door.”

Stiles blinks, watches as Derek tells her everything is going to be okay. She’s obviously uncomfortable, but stops squirming when Derek smiles and runs his hands over her belly.

“ _Water_.” Derek growls.

“Right.” Stiles gets on his feet. He  _so_  didn’t sign up for this.

–

“So,” he collapses on the floor, “does this happen a lot?”

Derek collapses next to him, eyes on the mother wolf and her six pups. “Is this part of your interview?”

Stiles snorts and rolls his eyes. “No, this is just me trying not to freak out.” He turns to look at Derek – his eyes are green, he realizes, _and beautiful_ , he adds mentally.

“No, this doesn’t happen often.” Derek answers, finally. “Thankfully.”

Stiles nods and smiles when Derek turn to him. “You’re amazing.” He blurts out and Derek blinks, surprised. “Anyway,” Stiles shakes his head, tries to pretend the butterflies in his stomach are just from the adrenaline rush, “we’ll have to postpone the interview, but I think that’s justifiable.” He gets up, looks at his hands and realizes they are covered in blood. Ew. “Uh, can I use your bathroom before I go?”

“Go?” Derek asks, standing up too.

“I’m gonna get a hotel in town.” The nearest town is two hours away, but what can you do? He glances at the sleeping wolves. It’s not like this was Derek’s  _fault_. “I think.”

“Don’t be stupid.” Derek says, bluntly. Stiles snorts – yeah, Derek really doesn’t have a way with people. “I have a spare bedroom.”

Stiles smiles. “Thank you.” He says. “I don’t really like driving in the snow.”

“Who does.” Derek says, asks maybe. Stiles still doesn’t know him, but as he follows Derek up the stairs, he realizes he really wants to.


	2. Chapter 2

When Stiles gets out of the shower, Derek has already moved the wolves closer to the fireplace and now they are all sleeping soundly, the mom surrounded by her pups.

“Uh -” Stiles starts awkwardly, walking into the kitchen to find Derek by the stove, “your shower is pretty good, dude.”

“I like being comfortable.” Derek shoots back. “I’m not a fucking hermit, despite what people say.” He says, defensively.

He winces. Good start, Stiles. Now Derek hates you even more. “I didn’t mean it like that.” He apologizes. Derek shrugs and doesn’t answer, only hands Stiles a mug with – oh, coffee. Nice. “Thanks.” He says and smiles when Derek leans against the wall and arches an eyebrow at him. “Look, I can go if you –”

“I said it’s okay.” Derek cuts him off. “Aren’t you going to drink it?” Stiles grits his teeth. What a fucking jerk. No wonder he lives in the middle of nowhere – only wolves can put up with him.

“You know, when people told me you have awful social skills I thought they were exaggerating.” Stiles blurts out. When Derek’s eyes widen, he grins. Yeah, two can play this game. “Obviously, Iwas wrong.”

“You know,” Derek steps closer. He makes an intimidating figure all broad shoulders and that fucking beard Stiles just wants to  _touch_ , “when you called me I thought you were annoying. Obviously, I was wrong.” He mocks. “You’re  _really_  fucking annoying.”

At that, Stiles snorts. Derek isn’t wrong. “Yeah.” He laughs, looking up to find Derek smiling too. “I am.” He collapses on a chair and Derek follows him soon enough. “So –” he starts, “I’m Stiles. I’m a journalist and I’m here to interview you. Nice to meet you.”

Derek shakes his head, amused. He looks less tense now, and Stiles takes a moment to just admire him. He noticed Derek’s handsome face before, it’s impossible  _not to_ , but now he can really look at him and as he admires Derek’s features, he sees a tiny scar on his forehead. Derek took his jacket off and changed his bloodied shirt so now he’s only wearing a t-shirt that does nothing to hide his muscles and the scars and cuts on his forearms. He’s probably got those rescuing wolves and Stiles’ heart melts a little. An asshole on the outside and a ball of fluff on the inside, this interview is going to be a  _hit_.

“Right.” Derek says. “When are we gonna start the interview?”

Stiles arches an eyebrow. “Dude, we already started.” He says, watching as Derek’s eyes widen once again. He doesn’t look like the kind of guy who gets surprised very often. Stiles likes being able to do that. “Or do you think I’m not going to write about that?” He jerks a fingers towards the sleeping wolves and smiles.

“Of course you are.” Derek snorts.

“Of course I am.” Stiles agrees, happily. “Now, you live in the middle of nowhere.” He grins. “Why?”

-

Talking to Derek is easy and despite first impressions, he’s a pretty funny guy. They talk for hours, eat a pizza Derek had in his fridge and Stiles takes as many pictures as he can of Derek petting the mother wolf when she wakes up and whines, asking for water and food.

It doesn’t feel like a work thing, specially because Stiles doesn’t usually talk about his life with the people he’s interviewing, but with Derek it seems natural. The stories come easily and by the time they move the conversation to the living room, Stiles already knows Derek is a middle child – with two sisters, that’s  _adorable_  – and he moved all the way to Alaska because he wanted a fresh start after an awful relationship. “Taking care of the wolves is just a bonus”, he adds, smiling happily at the little pup in his hand.

Stiles has to suppress a groan at how cute he looks and fakes a yawn when Derek looks up at him curiously. “I guess I’m more tired than I thought.” He lies.

Derek nods, laying the pup down carefully and gesturing for Stiles to follow him. “It’s not much.” He says, opening the door to a dusty guest room. “But the sheets are clean –” he blushes, “I changed them when you were in the shower.”

This time the groan comes out, loud and clear. “Fuck.” Stiles swallows, feels his face getting warm when Derek inhales sharply.

Fuck, he repeats mentally, he’s thirty years old, his brain to mouth filter should have been  _working_  by now.

“Right,” Derek coughs, awkwardly, looking anywhere but Stiles’ face, “I’m –” he mutters, biting at his lip and turning around, “gonna go now.” He glances back at Stiles, then puts a hand on the door knob, gripping it so tightly Stiles can see his knuckles going white. “Good night.” He blurts out, closing the door behind himself.

Once alone, Stiles groans, throws himself on the bed. “ _Why_.” He whines, running a hand over his face. 

He startles when Derek throws the door open again and stalks back into the door, stopping by the bed and looking down at where Stiles is sprawled. “Do you want it?” He asks. Stiles blinks, confused at first, but it doesn’t take much for him to realize what Derek means.

“Fuck yes.” He blurts out, leaning up and Derek meets him halfway.

This kiss is nothing like the kisses he’s had before, it’s all fire and hurry and  _want_. They make quick work on their shirts and soon enough Stiles has a shirtless Derek on top of him, their chests touching as Stiles shivers in anticipation.

Stiles catalogs every noise Derek makes, makes sure he will remember how it feels to have Derek’s warm skin under his palms and tries to give it as good as he gets. When Derek bites his neck, Stiles sucks his earlobe, moans his name and smiles when Derek moans his back. When he comes all over their chests, Derek’s hand on his cock and Derek’s skin under his nails, he swears he can see stars.

–

They fuck an hour later in the shower, and then in the morning when Derek is making breakfast Stiles sinks to his knees and moans when Derek’s come spills down his throat. He’s not going to write that on his article, he assures Derek later when he’s helping Derek check on the wolf pups, but he’s going to remember this. He knows it.

“My mom liked writing.” He confesses, sprawled on the couch watching Derek feed the mother wolf. “I feel closer to her when I’m writing.”

Derek looks up, smiling. “My dad is a vet. He had just picked me up from school one afternoon and we were going home when we found a dog by the road.” Derek says, petting the mom one more time and watching as she yawns tiredly. “His leg was broken and he was bleeding. My dad took his jacket off and pressed it against the wound, then told me to keep pressing it as he picked the dog up and put him in the car.” He stands up, comes to sit by Stiles on the couch and rubs a hand over his chest under the shirt. “He saved him, but he told me  _I_ had helped.” He smiles and Stiles smiles back, listens to the story attentively. This means the world to Derek, he can see by the way his eyes shine, how he talks about his dad reverently. “I was only eight, but I never forgot. When I decided to become a vet, my dad only smiled and said ‘it suits you'”. Stiles smiles, takes Derek’s hand and presses a kiss against his palm.

“It suits you.” Stiles assures and Derek smiles shyly. He’s the kindest man Stiles ever met.

What are we doing? He asks himself when Derek leans down to kiss him. They fuck again after lunch and later, when Stiles takes his laptop to write down some notes, he closes his eyes and asks himself again.

What are we doing?


	3. Chapter 3

Stiles helps Derek get more wood for the fire and they watch the sunset from Derek’s porch. When it’s time to sleep Derek doesn’t even say anything before leading Stiles to his room and his bed.

The next day is pretty much the same. And the day after that too. They fuck, eat, take care of the pups and talk about their lives. While Derek works around the cabin or with the wolves, Stiles writes on his laptop.

At every passing moment, Stiles becomes more fascinated by Derek’s  _everything_. The mother wolf was the first wolf Derek saved after he moved to Alaska and it’s obvious she trusts him with her life and her pups, she still growls at Stiles, though and Derek laughs when he squeaks and pulls back, assures she’s not going to hurt him, but Stiles still doesn’t come down for water in the middle of the night alone.

The snow is getting thicker and Stiles’ stomach drops when Derek guesses the snow will only begin to melt next month. This –  _them –_  has an expiration date and as much as this feels nice,  _amazing_  even, Stiles can’t be here forever. He will have to leave soon, and as he watches Derek talk softly with the pups he feels a pang in his heart.

It’s not love yet. It can’t be. It’s too soon and too much and they live about 3 thousand miles apart. This is something that would only work in a fairytale.

He sighs and Derek turns to him immediately, confused. “I’m hungry.” Stiles fakes a smile. Derek rolls his eyes.

“You’re eating all my food.”

“You have food for six months!”

“Just three months, now.” Derek answers, standing up. “Maybe two if you keep asking for seconds.”

Stiles smirks, pushing his chair back. “That’s your fault,” he says, “you’re the one that keeps wearing me down.”

Derek puts both his hands on Stiles’ shoulders, sits on his lap and presses his hips down. “And I will keep doing it.”

“Shit.” Stiles curses, hands gripping at Derek’s waist as he feels his cock getting hard. “Fuck me.” He groans.

“Maybe later.” Derek laughs, scrapping his teeth against Stiles’ neck. “After you fuck me against the table.”

“Oh God.” Stiles groans and decides not to think about the future for now.

–

“I think I’m going to shave.” Derek says, distractedly. It’s day four and Stiles looks out the window to watch the mother wolf run around the forest, the pups still safely inside Derek’s cabin.

“What? Why?” Stiles turns immediately. He likes the beard, likes to feel it rubbing against his neck, his thighs.

“It’s just –” Derek shrugs, “another few weeks and I’ll look like Santa.” Stiles bursts out laughing at the comment, comes to hold Derek from behind and rest his face on his shoulder.

“Nah, Santa isn’t this hot.”

Derek snorts, presses a kiss on Stiles’ cheek. “So you keep saying.” He holds Stiles’ hand, squeezes it softly.

Stiles closes his eyes and rubs his cheek against Derek’s neck, breathing him in. He wants to stay. He wants to keep this. He wants to keep Derek. But – can he?

–

They ride to the nearest town in the afternoon, Derek needs to buy supplies for the pups and replace his ruined sheets, and Stiles goes with him just because. In reality he should be getting new clothes too but he’s kind of enjoying wearing Derek’s.

Derek holds his hand as they walk around the town and Stiles tries not to read too much into it. They’re not wearing gloves and somehow Derek’s hand is still warm and comforting, Stiles feels like a giddy teenager again.

The entire town seems to know Derek and even some kids come with their little snow hats to hug his legs and ask if he’s seen any wolf. When Derek tells them about the pups, all the kids squeal and a little girl asks if she can have one. She pouts Derek says the wolves aren’t made to be pets and he flicks her nose with a smile.

Stiles’ heart clenches painfully inside his chest and he blurts out some stupid excuse about wanting to buy marshmallows so he can make hot chocolate. Derek arches an eyebrow but as he extricates himself from the little girl’s grip, he kisses Stiles’ cheek and says he will wait in the car.

“He’s a keeper, isn’t he?” The old lady - ‘call me, Besty’ - behind the counter asks him, smiling. “He took care of my dog when she got sick last year, and my granddaughter swears she’s going to marry him.” When Stiles’ eyes widen, she smiles. “Don’t worry, she’s four.”

Stiles fakes a smile as he takes his wallet. He  _shouldn’t_ worry and – Derek deserves something like this,  _someone_  that lives close, that might enjoy the same things he does.

“Oh, boy.” She reaches out to pat his shoulder. “He doesn’t know?”

“ _I_  don’t know.” Stiles finds himself answering, Betsy has that same loving expression his grandmother had and he feels himself crumbling under her stare. “We met five days ago!”

“So?” She smiles, puts her hand over his. “I met my husband in New York, forty years ago.” She tells him. “He was visiting his sister and the second I laid my eyes on him, I knew he was the one.” She glances at a picture on her left and then looks back at Stiles. “One week later I was married. Two months after that I was pregnant.” Stiles closes his eyes, shaking his head. Maybe forty years ago things were easier. “When you know,  _you know_.”

“Yeah,” Stiles says, but he now feels more confused than ever, “I guess.” He gives her the money and walks out the store. When he gets into the car, Derek smiles at him and Stiles realizes it’s time to go.


	4. Chapter 4

“How long ‘til the pups are ready for the wild?” Stiles asks, letting the cute little black pup gnaw on his fingers.

“Another two months? Maybe more.” Derek answers. He has the other five pups on his lap and it’s  _adorable_. “It always depends.” Their mom is outside again, but she never stays away for long. Derek says she’s just running around and exercising, keeping herself fit in case she needs to defend her family. Her pack must be on the other side of the mountain, Derek guesses, and it’s gonna take a while for them to find it. “It’s really funny when they see the snow for the first time.” He says, smiling at Stiles. “Next week we can try to give them some small pieces of meat.” Stiles’ stomach drops at that and he puts the black pup back on the floor. “What’s wrong?” Derek asks, trying to extricate himself from all the pups to follow Stiles into the kitchen.

Stiles is looking out the window when Derek walks in and he immediately puts a hand on his shoulder. “Are you okay?” He asks again.

“I have to go.” He answers and Derek retracts his hand. Stiles chooses not to look at him, afraid he’s going to give up his entire life to keep this. “I – I finished the article yesterday and –”

“Right.” Derek growls. “The  _article_.” He sounds angry and when Stiles finally looks up, the Derek he’s been living with for the past five days is gone, replaced by the guy he first met. “You got everything you wanted, right?”

“ _No_.” Stiles hushes to say. Derek can’t be thinking this was all about the article, he just  _can’t._  “Derek, this isn’t – you know this week was perfect for me too.”

“Do I?” Derek throws back. “You’re the one talking about leaving.”

“Because I don’t belong here!” Stiles argues. “This isn’t my life! I have – I live in California, you know that!” He doesn’t know what else to say to make Derek understand, this shouldn’t be a goodbye, but they don’t have a choice. Stiles doesn’t have a choice. He’s not abandoning everything to move to Alaska, just like he doesn’t want Derek to abandon his life to go to Beacon Hills with him. This isn’t the kind of sacrifices they should make.

“Yeah.” Derek’s shoulders sag and suddenly he just sounds defeated. “I don’t know what I was thinking, anyway.” He gives Stiles a sad smile. “I should have known I was the only one –” he cuts himself abruptly and turns around, walking out of the room.

“You what?” Stiles follows, heart pounding inside his chest. “You  _what?_ ” He follows Derek around, grabs his hand as he’s about to walk out the door. “Derek –”

“I was the only one who  _cared_!” Derek shouts, pulling his arm from Stiles’ grip. “Because that’s who I am – I care too much, I get too involved! And then people leave!” He keeps screaming, eyes burning with anger. He doesn’t let Stiles get a word in and just turns around again. “Just go, Stiles. Just go back to your fucking life, since I’m not supposed to be in it.”

“It’s not like that!” Stiles shouts back, ignoring the fact he isn’t wearing a coat as he follows Derek outside and into the cold weather. “Can’t you see this just won’t work? That our lives are too different? That we are just –”

“Stop making excuses,” Derek answers, “and just get the fuck out of my house.” He opens the door to his truck. “If what I have to offer is not good enough for you, then leave me the fuck alone.” He gets into the car and turns on the engine. “I was falling in love with you, you know? But I suppose it’s good to know you don’t feel the same. At least I haven’t wasted more than five days with you.” He adds and then drives away, leaving Stiles to stare at the retreating car and try to sort the mess he’s made of his own heart.


	5. Chapter 5

Stiles doesn’t cry until he’s in the airplane and the couple sitting next to him start to kiss. He shouldn’t regret ending things, shouldn’t feel guilty about the way it turned out. It’s not like he went there to fuck Derek’s life, he didn’t even think that was a possibility.

He likes Derek, that much is clear. He wouldn’t be freaking out the flight attendant with his sobs if he didn’t, but what he doesn’t understand is how this happened. He’s had longer relationships that didn’t leave him this heart-broken.

He groans, shaking his head. It’s over, he tells himself. He made the right choice. There’s no going back, just moving forward. And he  _will._ As soon as he gets home he’s publishing this stupid article and going to the nearest bar to get drunk and then he will never think about Derek again.

He opens his laptop and starts rewriting the article. Stiles won’t let Derek make him feel like an asshole, this will be the best article-slash-interview ever published and Derek won’t even read it because he’s living in fucking Alaska with his freakishly cute wolves. But everyone else will, and they will  _love_  it.

–

Lydia yells a lot when he gets home, there’s some stuff about deadlines in between, but mostly it’s Lydia showing she cares about him in her own weird way. His dad also yells but when he realizes Stiles have bags under his eyes he shoves a beer in Stiles’ hand and makes him watch CSI reruns for hours.

The article is published one week later and it’s a hit, just like Stiles predicted and Lydia wanted. They added a few pictures Stiles took of Derek taking care of the pups and when Stiles checks it out on the website, he can’t help but smile. That’s where Derek belongs, in the wild taking care of his wolves.

And this is where Stiles belongs – writing articles about mundane things, stalking famous people and begging for interviews, playing video-games and sometimes babysitting Scott’s kid. It’s not exciting and wild but it’s his life and even though it hurts now, Stiles knows he’s made the right decision.

And so he keeps telling himself.

–

“This is the best thing you’ve ever wrote, Stiles.” His dad says, smiling proudly. He’s probably going to frame this article too, he always does that. “And Derek – he seems like an amazing guy.”

“He is.” Stiles smiles. He’s wrote all about the wolves and how Derek got interested in it, he wrote about the time Derek saved a deer and how he suffered when he had to put down a wild fox after it got caught in a trap. He can still remember Derek telling him the stories as they were laying in bed, warm and sated. “Derek belongs there, like – really. I don’t think I’ve ever seen someone so  _happy_  in a place.”

“You said that in the article.” His dad points out, kindly. “But – ” his dad starts, scratching his chin, “don’t you think he feels lonely?”

Stiles blinks, taken aback by the question. “What do you mean?”

“Well, it just – he’s alone there, right? You said the nearest town is two hours away.” He explains. “No family, no friends. I’m just imagining.” He quickly adds and then shrugs. “Or it could just be me. Who knows, people are different.” Then he squeezes Stiles’ arm and smiles. “But you did a great job, son. I hope Derek will read this.”

Stiles swallows around the lump in his throat and forces himself to smile back. “Thanks, dad.”

It’s hard to sleep that night, but when he does he has nightmares about a man living all alone in the middle of nowhere. He wakes up in tears.

–

He receives many e-mails and texts from friends congratulating him on his article. Stiles answers some and ignores most, he used to be happy with the praises but now he just feels like a fraud, like someone who wrote a story that shouldn’t be his to tell.

He wonders if Derek’s family read it and what they are thinking about it. He talked briefly with Lydia about contacting them, but she just called him stupid and ended the call. Stiles will never understand her.

Two weeks after he left Alaska, Stiles still hasn’t managed to go back to his normal life. It’s like everything is changed now and he’s constantly thinking about what should be his next step. What could he possibly do now that he published the most important article of his life?

What do you do after your life has been turned upside down?

“You know you have an apartment, right?” Stiles’ dad asks as he comes down for breakfast and finds Stiles in the kitchen again.

“What? You don’t want me here?” Stiles smiles when his dad cuffs him on the back of the head. “No bacon.” He slaps his dad’s hand away and pushes some yoghurt towards him with a wink.

“God, please just leave.” He groans but Stiles only laughs. His dad never means it. “Why are you up so early anyway?”

Stiles shrugs, he didn’t actually sleep. “Stuff to do.” He chooses to answers.

“At seven in the morning?”

“Well…” he trails off, averting the inquisitive look. He knows his dad is going to ask something else, so he just gets up instead. “I’m gonna go get the paper.” Stiles heads to the door and when he opens it he comes face to face with Derek Hale.

–

 _He shaved._ It’s the first thing Stiles thinks. Derek shaved his beard and he looks tired and like he hasn’t eaten in months.

God, Stiles missed him.

“What.”

Derek clears his throat. “Hi.”

“ _What_.” Stiles repeats, still not quite believing what’s happening. Derek was supposed to be in  _Alaska_.

“I –” Derek starts, “I read your article.”

“How?”

“Lydia, uh, Martin?” Derek checks the piece of paper in his hand before looking back at him again. “She sent it to me. And gave me your dad’s address, too.”

“Oh my God.” Stiles groans. Of course she did. Only Lydia would realize Stiles practically wrote a love confession in his article. “She – I’m sorry, I mean – you didn’t have to come all the way here. I – if you want me to take something down – ”

“Stiles,  _no_.” Derek interrupts, raising one hand. “This?” He waves the paper in his hand and Stiles suddenly realizes it’s a copy of the article. “This is too much? I don’t deserve this. I never –”

“What do you mean?” Stiles asks, shocked. “Of course you deserve this! You save wolves!”

“But this is too much!” Derek repeats, louder this time. “The way I treated you the last time we talked –” Stiles’ heart does a somersault, “you don’t feel the same and I’m sorry I made you feel like you had to. And after that, you still wrote something like this? I can’t accept this, Stiles.”

It could be easy to agree with him, to say Stiles doesn’t have feelings, to say he never had. But Derek didn’t use the past tense, Derek didn’t say ‘you  _didn’t feel the same’_ , he said ’ _don’t_ ’ and that changes everything.

“I felt the same.” Stiles blurts out. “I  _feel_  the same.”He swallows, watches as Derek’s eyes widen. “I wrote a fucking article saying I love you, for fuck’s sake.”

Derek blinks. “But you left.” He says, sounding small, unsure and, god,  _hurt_.

“Because I was scared.” He confesses. “We spent one week together and I was already fucking falling for you! It was terrifying!”

“Was?” Derek asks, hopeful.

Stiles smiles, shaking his head. “You’re here. At –” he checks his watch, “six fifteen in the morning.” He gestures around absently. “It’s been two weeks and all I can think about is how much I want to kiss you and never let you go.”

Derek lets out a startle laugh and then he’s taking the final step and throwing his arms around Stiles. “I missed you.”

“Me too.” Stiles says, burying his face in Derek’s neck. “I never want to let you go again. I’m sorry.”

“Yes, yes.” Derek presses shy kisses against Stiles’ neck, his shoulders. “I’m sorry, too. So much.”

They pull back to stare at each other with a smile before Stiles decides he’s had enough and pulls Derek into a much needed kiss.

They only part because Stiles’ dad yells at them to get a room. And they do. Eventually.

–

“Are you sure?” Derek squeezes Stiles’ hand. “You don’t –”

“You keep asking me that.” Stiles frowns. “What, you want me to change my mind?”

“Well, no.” Derek swallow visibly. “But if you want to –”

“Oh my god,  _no_.” Stiles rolls his eyes. “I want to be with you and if that means living in Alaska, well I’ll fucking do it.”

“But –”

“ _I_  –” Stiles interrupts, raising his voice, “always wanted to try and write novels anyway. Maybe some science-fiction.  _Oh_ ,” his eyes light up, “what do you think about werewolves?”

Derek rolls his eyes. “You’re an idiot.”

“And yet, you’re keeping me.”

Derek smiles brightly and presses a kiss on Stiles’ hand. “I still don’t know why.”

Stiles laughs and turns to look out the plane window. Yes, he does. “Hey, what do you think we join the mile-high club?”

“Oh my God,  _Stiles_.”

**Author's Note:**

> This fic was written because every time I see a new picture of Hoechlin with that damn beard I think 'omg dude, you look so hot' and also 'omg dude, you look like a fucking hermit'. So...


End file.
